Improvement in railway-rails



INITD STATES PATENT OFFrCn JOHN M. MAY, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,502, dated Juno 30, 1874; application filed December 8, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN M. MAY, of Cedar Rapids, Linn county, in the State of Iowa, have made certain Improvements in Railroad- Rails, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the formation of the ends of fiat-bar, tram, and plate railroad-rails, so as to interlock them together and to a longitudinal sill of wood on which they are placed, to prevent the ends from becoming loose and making what are called snakeheads 7 ot' the ends of the rails; also, to con-- structing the ends of rails so thatthey interlock and break joints, whereby a continuous rail is formed, and the jolt and concussion at the ends ot' the rails are avoided.

Figure l is a top view of the ends of bar or pla-te rails cut in halves to bend and forin the parts to lap by each other and interlock. It also shows that either end of the rail ts its fellow rail, making them reversible also, the narrow ends provided with holes for a pin, vif needed, to keep them in place on the sill. Fig. 2 is also a top view, showing the ends of the rails properly formed and locked together, the narrow part underneath the wide part, shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a vertical or side view of the rails formed and locked together. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the ends of the rails halved a greater distance to lap and forni a continuous rail, as well as to interlock. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing also the la-p of the ends of the rails, where halved, to form a continuous rail; also a slot for a flat bolt. Fig. 6 is a vertical view, showing the rail locked together and placed on the wooden longitudinal sill.

The saine letters of reference represent the same part in each figure.

A represents a flat or plate bar rail. A few inches of each end of the rail in Figs. 1,2, and 3 are cut away one-half of their width, but on opposite sides, so that the rail is reversible, presenting either edge to the flange of the Wheel-a convenience, also, in laying the track. At the shoulder made by cutting away, as stated, the other half in width of the rail has4 a double bend, as shown, the narrow part being let into the sill the thickness of the rail, so that the wide part ot' the rail rests thereon, as Awell as on the sill. The ends of the rails are thus interlocked together, with the sill underneath the broad part of the rail, and are held firm, preventing the end ot' the rail from getting loos'e and forming the snakeheads so proliiic of dangerous accidents and damage in the use of the flat-bar rail. The rail is spiked to the sill of wood on which it rests in the usual manner. a shows the part bent down; b, the double bend, c, the elongated spike-hole, to allow of contraction and expansion 5 and cl, holes in the ends of the narrow part underneath the wide part for a pin, to prevent danger from moving or springing laterally.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the double bend b is, a short distance from the shoulder r, formed by cutting away half the width of the rail, so that the half-widths of two rails are side by side, as at B, and on the plane of the upper surface of the rails, thus constituting a continuous rail, the parts a being held underneath the wide part of the rail, as above described. The portions hidden from view are represented by dotted lines. C is the longitudinal wooden sill, with recesses s ot' suiiicient depth to receive the parts a., as shown, and breaks joints with the rail, and rests on the tie G. D is a flat spike or bolt, with a beveled head to tit the slot e, and is provided with an eye or keyhole, m, near the lower end, to receive key E,

which key may pass through the eye and sill,

or beneath the sill, if the spike is long, as in Fig. 7. This tlat spike and key serves to keep the rail and sill rmly together. The key may terminate in a screw-bolt at its small end, or be used without the screw. This ilat spike and key is a matter of precaution, where the rails are especially liable to become loose on the sill, though ordinarily, when the sills are sound and of good timber, the usual spikes are sufficient. F is a long, doubleheaded spike passing through the sill into the tie tohold them together, the upper head being grappled with suitable tools to raise the spike when necessary to separate the sill and tie.

I am aware that bolts with eyes near the point have been used, and do not claim a bolt or spike with an eye and key, except when used to hold and tighten a rail to a sill. Also,

l I am aware that splkes for fastening theusuai The continuous plnterail A A, the sections T-ruil te the tie have been made, having in of which are joined by the cut-away lap-joint head to engage the base 0f the rail and :L prea a, having bent shoulders b b, in combination jeetion or brace on the opposite side reaching with sills G, recessed tu receive the lap-joint, v

to thc tie, to prevent the spike from bending),` substantially as and for the purposes specified.

and moving outward land the spreading 0f the JOHN M. MAY. track, and do not claim :L spike thus mede; but XVitnesses Vhat I do claim as my invention, and de- XVM. E. JONES,

sire to secure by Letters Patent, s- F. P. HUNTINGTON. 

